All change in Worsley and Eccles

With just six weeks to go until ballot boxes open in the most exciting general election of our time, the Salford Advertiser is running a series of profiles of the three constituencies. This week, we’re turning our attention to Worsley and Eccles South.

With just six weeks to go until ballot boxes open in the most exciting general election of our time, the Salford Advertiser is running a series of profiles of the three constituencies.

This week, we’re turning our attention to Worsley and Eccles South.

Under the previous parliamentary constituency boundaries, the city of Salford was looked after by Salford MP Hazel Blears, Eccles MP Ian Stewart and Worsley MP Barbara Keeley.

The three constituencies of Salford, Eccles and Worsley have been changed because of a decline in the number of people eligible to vote.

The historic parliamentary constituency of Eccles, which has been in existence since 1885, has been abolished. It has now been divided up and split between two new constituencies.

Worsley and Eccles South will include an electorate of 72,554 in Barton, Boothstown and Ellenbrook, Cadishead, Irlam, Little Hulton, Walkden North, Walkden South, Winton and Worsley.

The constituency is very diverse and covers the leafy, Conservative Worsley with its mock-Tudor houses and expensive golf courses.

There are major issues in Worsley about the erosion of the greenbelt with a campaign against Peel Holdings’ plan to build a racecourse.

There is also a movement against the expansion of the M60 - residents claim the motorway would come too close to their homes.

Worsley and Eccles South also covers neighbouring Walkden. Its run-down precinct is in need of investment, and has suffered a huge decline in footfall over the last decade with more trade moving out to the Trafford Centre and larger supermarkets.

Little Hulton has traditionally been thought of as Walkden’s poorer cousin, but it is undergoing a major resurgence.

The main school in Little Hulton, Harrop Fold High, has flourished under Labour’s management, going from special measures at the beginning of the decade to a brand new PFI building and consistently improving results.

Similarly, Irlam and Cadishead have transferred from the Eccles constituency to the new Worsley and Eccles South.

The area had been traditionally Labour, but over the last few years there has been a shift to the right, with two Conservative councillors elected - Liz Hill and Liz Bramer-Kelly.

In 2008, Councillor Rick Houlton, then representing the Community Action Party, defeated Labour councillor Roger Jones in Irlam. Cllr Houlton is now a member of the independent group on Salford City Council.

Neither Barbara Keeley nor Ian Stewart were implicated in the MPs’ expenses scandal but have taken a dip in public opinion mirroring the national government.

Next week, we look at Broughton and Blackley before turning our attention to the local elections.